Ballincollig back in knockout frame after Bandon blitzing

For Bandon, it's a long road back from a 21-point hammering such as this.

FULCRUM: Conor O'Leary, Ballincollig, Tim Twohig and James Walsh, Bandon.

Cork Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship 

Bandon 0-8 Ballincollig 3-20.

It was a field day for Ballincollig in Cloughduv on Saturday as they romped to a convincing win over a lacklustre Bandon side in the Cork Premier IFC second-round matchup.

For Bandon, it's a long road back from a 21-point demolition job such as this. There was no indication of such a landslide in the early stages which were sloppy from both sides. Ballincollig were four clear when Brian Keating played a lovely pass into the waiting hands of James Dwyer who was coolness personified in a one-on-one with keeper Oisin Hennessy as he slotted the opening goal to open up a seven-point gap.

Things would get worse for Bandon just before half-time. This time Keating of Ballincollig again, sandwiched between two Bandon defenders somehow found the room to swing his hurley in front of goal, smacking it off the underside of the bar and into the back of the net to give his side a commanding lead.

Nine points down going in at the break, a huge second half was needed from the Bandon lads. Unfortunately it was nothing of the sort. Ballincollig’s quality proved too much to handle as they easily dispatched of the tired-looking Bandon side. By the end Bandon were begging for the sound of the referee’s whistle.

Ballincollig half-forward Cian Dorgan was a man on a mission, contributing eight magnificent scores on the day including five frees. Ballincollig continued to work the scoreboard, adding a third goal with four minutes left on the clock. Feigning a shot, Sean O’Neill slipped the ball nicely into Cian O’Driscoll who fired it past the helpless James McSweeney, compounding Bandon’s misery.

Scorers for Bandon: C Long 0-2, M Sugrue 0-1f, D Crowley, C Lynch, A O’Mahony, E McSweeney, S Ahern 0-1 each.

Scorers for Ballincollig: C Dorgan 0-8 (0-5f), J Dwyer and C O’Driscoll 1-2 each, S O’Neill 1-0, S Wills 0-4, B Keating 0-2, D O’Sullivan P 0-1f, P Kelly 0-1.

BANDON: O Hennessy; E Twomey, P Murphy, M McNamara; J Walsh, T Twohig, S Ahern; M Cahalane, E McSweeney; A O’Mahony, M O’Regan, C Long; M Sugrue, D Crowley, C Lynch.

Subs: O Doyle for J Walsh (24), J McSweeney for O Hennessy (30), D Collins for C Lynch (30), R Long for M O’Regan (30), N McCarthy for M Sugrue (45), M O’Regan for O Doyle (58).

BALLINCOLLIG: J Linehan; R O’Donovan, C Moore, F Denny; D O’Sullivan, C O’Leary, C O’Sullivan; J Dwyer, B Coleman; S Wills, C Dalton, B Keating; S O’Neill, C Dorgan, C O’Driscoll.

Subs: D Bowen for C Dalton (47), P Kelly for C Dorgan (55).

Referee: Eoin Coleman (Youghal).